Selected to Serve!

#spirituality;christ;anger;service

"I sat with my anger long enough until she told me her real name was Grief." - C.S. Lewis

Luke 6:12-19:

The Twelve Apostles

12 During those days he went out to the mountain to pray and spent all night in prayer to God. 13When daylight came, he summoned his disciples, and he chose twelve of them, whom he also named apostles: 14Simon, whom he also named Peter, and Andrew his brother; James and John; Philip and Bartholomew; 15Matthew and Thomas; James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called the Zealot; 16Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Teaching and Healing

17 After coming down with them, he stood on a level place with a large crowd of his disciples and a great number of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and from the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon. 18 They came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases, and those tormented by unclean spirits were made well. 19 The whole crowd was trying to touch him because power was coming out from him and healing them all.

=================================

"Selected to Serve?"

????Many years ago, walking through an alley in Kansas City, Missouri, the year I began seminary I encountered a bonfire, surrounded by people listening to this Black preacher. He glared down from a high pedestal pointing his finger at me saying: "I prophesy young man you will suffer much grief, pain, rejection, be baptized in fire, and through that fire you will be transformed into a figure like John the Baptist preaching a gospel of repentance, and most importantly of non-judgement, and be one serving? the nobodies of the world." I laughed out loud, I was going to have a large church and be a District Superintendent, and now many years later I know this was my calling.

??? One might look at my ministry, work or someone elses and judge the way the world judges. Rather than judge, we should see Jesus simply parceling out the work to be done. Some are called to be healers, and some are healed.

??? When I was ordained a bishop almost twenty years ago, Dr. John Mabry requested the honoring of three words: celibacy, chastity, and virginity, not in the traditional Roman Catholic view, but from a political view for living our lives.

This can mark us as truly unusual.

??? Celibacy We are completely celibate of power over others; for I preach, teach, and be a friend to anyone in need; I do not use power in my relationships, I treat them as my friends, and as equals.

??? Chaste: In living a celibate lifestyle I remind others to be chaste regarding their personal power; to see each person as their brother or sister, and to treat each one with respect and love.

??? I remind them that their words can be as fatal as if they strike, stab, or shoot another person--Gossip kills. What we say to another affects their life, and in turn,? ours.

??? Virginity is understood as owning one's own power. Every person is a virgin, and do not hand their power over to another. Every person feels empowered politically, in whatever way they choose, have authority to vote, exercising his or her own ministry with the support of each other, celebrating their freedom and choice to do so.

??? To extend the metaphor further, any incident of forcing one's power upon another--or upon the community at large--compromises people's virginity, and can only be described as political rape. We wound people all the time by "raping" them, robbing them of their choice. It is an abuse of power.

??? Each protest we have in regards to the force of our state, county, and city governments policies against the unhoused is a protest agaist their rape; every time we meet people on the street with a warm smile, with some food, and with care, we protest against the rape of society.

??? C.S. Lewis is right when he says:

"I sat with my anger long enough until she told me her real name was Grief." -

????I have been sitting with my anger against society's treatment of the unhoused; against my treatment personally by individuals over my ministry, and who I am, and rather than anger I gieve, and grieve deeply, and will walk with the grief in my relationships, with an outreached hand, and smile, and give love without counting the costs! Deo Gratias! Thanks be to God!

--------------

Tomorrow, September 9, I will stand in front of City Hall displaying a sign:

"Homeless People Are Made in God's Image!

Come and Serve in the Desert of Compassion!"

Come and join me in front of City Hall, taking a step into the Desert of Compassion, and saying loud and clear with your presence:

Life is Beautiful!" .

================================

May we become "Story Catchers" and:

May the work of

“figuring people out”

Never replace the work of knowing people

And loving people

And giving them room

To confound

And inspire

And surprise me

---------------------------------------------------------

30th Anniversary Celebration

Victor’s Pizza

6 p.m.

November 9, 2024

WE ARE BEGGARS! WE REALLY NEED MONEY--Really Badly At the moment!

FOR FOOD, SOCKS, HARM REDUCTION AND OTHER SERVICES!

P.O. Box 642656

415-305-2124

[email protected]

pay pal

www.temenos.org

(Temenos and Dr. River seek to remain accessible to everyone. We do not endorse particular causes, political parties, or candidates, or take part in public controversies, whether religious, political or social--Our pastoral ministry is to everyone!

Temenos Catholic Worker

P.O. Box 642656

San Francisco, CA 94164

Dr. River Sims, D.Min, D.S.T.

Prayer:

Jesus of Nazareth

You were born in the home of people

Whose names history has forgotten.

Presumably, they lent clothes and clothes

To your internally displaced parents.

We bless and honor all

Who show hospitality

They make the message of belonging

Relevant for everyday

People in shelters, refuges,

People in the welcome centers at prisons,

In the waiting rooms of health centers.

People on the streets whose door is always open

For the neighbor who needs a tea and hospitality.

We bless and honor them.

We bless and honor them.

Because this is where? you are

And are every day.

And you

Bless and honor them

The ones who give and the ones who receive.

Amen.

May the work of

“figuring people out”

Never replace the work of knowing people

And loving people

And giving them room

To confound

And inspire

And surprise me. Amen.